CRA paid $538,000 for 193 km move down the 401

February 22, 2017

The Ontario government has been handed two awards for wasteful spending as judged by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. The federation celebrated (if that’s the word) its annual Teddy Government Waste Award winners Wednesday. Two pig-shaped trophies were given to Queen’s Park. One is for the province’s electric vehicle incentive program, which the federation says provides subsidies for luxury cars, while the other is a lifetime achievement award for what the spending watchdog says is the lengthy mishandling of Ontario’s energy policy.

STAGGERING CRA MOVE

Canada Revenue Agency’s decision to pay an employee $538,000 in moving expenses for a 193 kilometre relocation from Richmond Hill to Belleville nets that agency the federal Teddy award for government waste. This is the 19th annual Teddy Award selection from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, with trophies named for Ted Weatherill, a former federal appointee who was fired in 1999 over his bloated expense claims. Below is the full series of presentations made by Aaron Wudrick, executive director of the taxpayers federation.